“I need fast transport to the Northlands and then to your village.”
“To the Northlands?” Xenith asked. “Have you not come from the Northlands?”
“I have, but my transport from there required haste, and now I must return to collect something I left behind. Since I cannot carry an object that far, I want to pick up a human rider who can carry it for me. She is a young female who should not be a burden to you.” Cassabrie nodded toward the children behind Xenith. “She is not much bigger than that girl.”
Xenith looked back at the younglings, who watched with wide eyes. “I suffered a bruised wing yesterday, but it is healing well, so I am sure I would be able to carry her. Yet I must stay here to protect these three until my mother returns.”
“What if they could be placed under the care of another human? Would that allow you to go?”
Xenith shook her head. “Mother was quite clear. I must stay until she returns.”
Cassabrie glided closer again. Her glow spread over Xenith’s face. “Oh, but Xenith, her intent was to ensure the safety of these humans, not to keep you here. If you find an alternative way to protect them, you would be obeying the spirit of her command, and you would be free to help me save our world. Don’t you think your mother would commend an act of sacrificial heroism? Just think what she would say if she learned that you turned down an opportunity to save Starlight simply because you had to strictly adhere to the letter of her command. Of course, she would never punish you for your rigid discipline, but she would also secretly realize that you lacked the maturity to make such an adult decision. Suppose something happened to her that prevented her from ever returning? Would you stay here like a mindless drone until you all perished?”
A sudden sense of dizziness swam in Xenith’s brain. “These thoughts had crossed my mind, and finding an alternative refuge is an option worth considering, but only if you are telling the truth. I learned long ago that humans will lie to obtain what they desire.”
“I can prove that there is a refuge for these young humans as well as a vital reason for my journey.”
“Without leaving this place?”
Cassabrie nodded. “Without leaving this place.”
“Then bring forth your proof. This should be interesting.”
Still no more than a shining spirit, Cassabrie raised a glowing hood over her head, spread out her arms, and gave her cloak a spin. “Not many days ago, a brave young warrior released the cattle children from the horrific cattle camp and took them into the wilderness.”
“Yes, Elyssa told me about her adventure with Wallace. She has been worried—”
“Shhh.” Cassabrie held a finger to her lips. “It is vital that you allow me to tell the tale without interruption, or it will not have the desired effect.”
Xenith nodded. “Very well. I apologize.”
“As you mentioned, Wallace and Elyssa worked together to guide the cattle children across the open mesa region, where they might easily be seen by patrolling dragons, and into the wilderness forest.”
While Cassabrie spoke, Elyssa and Wallace appeared, pushing aside foliage as they entered the clearing. Yet, they, like Cassabrie, were phantoms. A host of semitransparent children trailed them, most half naked and bone thin. When the humans had all gathered, they began constructing several objects out of hewn branches and vines. As they worked, they faded in and out, and the objects grew rapidly, as if time sped beyond the normal rate.
“Elyssa trusted Wallace so much,” Cassabrie continued, “she left the forty-one children in his care. She understood that a great journey lay in wait for her, and Wallace could handle this task. Not long after Elyssa departed, Wallace began searching for a different helper, an adult human by the name of Frederick who was also caring for young escapees from the cattle camp.”
A building appeared. Constructed out of roughly cut logs cemented by thick mortar, it looked to be large enough to house ten to fifteen humans, depending on their size and how closely together they slept. An adult human stood near one corner of the building while several children watched a fire that blazed under the carcass of a small animal.
With a wave of her cloak, Cassabrie swept the scene away, leaving behind an empty clearing, the moss-covered stone, and three huddled, shivering human younglings.
Xenith blinked. The children seemed far away, as if she were looking at them through the wrong end of Father’s sky scope. The clearing wobbled. Cassabrie’s glow brightened as she spoke again, now with a voice that echoed throughout the forest. “If you will accept my request, I will make sure these little ones find this refuge. They will be warm and well-fed, cared for by humans. Here, they will be cold and hungry, and, although you are a noble and good dragon, they will not be as comfortable with you as they would be with their own kind.”
Xenith shook her head hard. That helped clear her vision, at least a little bit. “The images you conjured are comforting, but I cannot be sure they reflect reality. I have heard that Zena was once able to do the same thing, and she convinced people of lies with her dark arts.”
“Zena was a counterfeit Starlighter. A real Starlighter obtains power from the way the Creator fashioned her. For me, telling vivid tales is as natural as breathing. A counterfeit calls upon the forces of evil to mimic this gift, and it is a harsh, primitive copy that is motivated by the desires of fraudulent forces, not the desires of the Creator.” Cassabrie pushed back her hood and walked closer. With each step, the green in her eyes brightened. “Arxad and Fellina will not come here soon. I know this to be true, because Arxad brought me to the village, and he and your mother are returning to the Northlands.
“I walked the rest of the way here. I plod along on foot. You fly faster than the eagles. I am but a breath of air, a spark of light that is blown about by the wind. You are the daughter of Arxad and Fellina, strong and capable, one of the few noble dragons remaining on Starlight.”
Cassabrie stood so close, her radiance filled Xenith’s vision. Her face shone with ivory light embedded with two brilliant emeralds. When her lips moved, her words came forth riding on sparkling jewels. “Xenith, without you, all could be lost. I cannot do this great work by myself. I beg you to help me.”
Xenith stared at the lovely visage. Father had talked about heavenly angels, beings who could take the form of humans or dragons—radiant, resplendent, beautiful beyond description. Maybe Cassabrie was an angel. How could anyone object to fulfilling such a request?
“Very well,” Xenith said, lowering her head close to the ground. “I will do as you ask.”
thirteen
Jason opened his eyes. Covered with a linen sheet, he lay on his back atop a bed, not his own bed, yet strangely familiar. Above, a dull gray backdrop spread across his field of vision, making the room’s size impossible to gauge. Light came from somewhere, steady but dim, enough to give shape to his surroundings but too little to make anything clear. An object floated over his face, dark and vague, maybe close enough to touch.
As he reached, a sharp pain stabbed his side. He let his arm drop to the mattress. Whatever that thing was, it would stay a mystery for now.
Moving slowly, he lifted the sheet. A bandage wrapped his midsection underneath his inner shirt. Memories flowed into his mind—the grinding mill, his father, battling the dragon, breaking his ribs. Koren.
Jason felt for his pouch. Gone! Had Koren taken it? Had she figured out what it was for?
Then a soft light emanated from somewhere close by, growing brighter. A human female form appeared far away, an aura surrounding her, like one of the servant girls in the Northlands castle.
Ah. Everything was coming together now. He lay in the tree room. The object above his head was an extended hand from one of the healing trees. But where was Father? Had he survived transport to his own healing tree? Maybe this girl would know.
Gathering his breath, he whispered, “Have you seen my father?”
“Jason!” The girl rushed toward him. “You’re awake!?
?? Her voice blew the fog away. As her lovely, strangely radiant face filled his vision, he smiled. “Elyssa? Is that you?”
“Yes, Jason!” She grabbed his hand and clutched it tightly. “How are you feeling?”
“Not great, but I think I’ll live.” He tried to sit up. “Where is my father?”
“Don’t worry. He’s fine.” She gently pushed him down. “He was pretty badly injured, but he’s up and around now.”
“Good.” Jason breathed a sigh and let his body relax again.
“We were worried about you. You’ve been unconscious for a long time. Are you hungry?”
“Not really. Thirsty, though.”
“The trauma probably spoiled your appetite.” She stooped, then rose again with a mug in her hands. “Drink this. Deference left it here for when you woke up. It should quench your thirst and give you an energy boost. I had some, and it filled me right up.”
As she helped Jason rise to a sitting position, he hooked his fingers around the mug’s handle and inhaled the vapors. “Thanks. It smells good.”
While he took a long drink, Elyssa reached up and touched the healing tree’s extended hand. “These trees are amazing. With their help, I was able to use a stardrop to repair your ribs.”
Jason searched his mind. He had dreamed about her rubbing sparks of light into his body. Did it really happen? After tipping the mug back and draining the last drop, he set it down at his side. “I remember. It hurt a lot, but most of the pain is gone now.”
“That’s good.” Looking at her fingers, she touched the hem of his sheet, a shy smile appearing as she glanced at him without lifting her head. “Do you remember what I said while I was working on you?”
He thought for a moment. As the memory returned, Elyssa’s gentle voice sent a jumble of phrases through his mind. You’re my hero, Jason Masters … I love you because of who you are … You set me free.
As warmth spread across his cheeks, Jason gave her a weak smile. “I think so. I remember some words that felt really good.”
Elyssa slid her hand into Jason’s. “I meant every word.”
A thin layer of radiance spread from her skin to his. Earlier he had assumed the strange lighting had distorted her appearance, but now the radiance seemed to emanate from within her. He withdrew his hand and touched the back of hers. “What’s making you glow?”
Smiling, she studied her palm. “Remember the stardrops?”
“How could I forget? Those balls nearly burned holes through my hands.” “I swallowed one.”
“What? How could you do that? Swallowing one killed Petra.”
“I know.” She laid a hand on her stomach and grimaced. “It burned so badly, I thought I was going to die, but the white dragon said I might survive, and it was my only hope of saving you and your father, so I took the chance.”
He stared at her. “You took the chance? For my father … for me?”
She nodded, her lips trembling. “How could I not?”
Jason looked into her softly glowing eyes. She had so much courage, so much love. She was amazing! He grasped her hand again and kissed her knuckles. “Thank you,” he said, letting his gaze linger on her radiant face. “Thank you for my father, too.”
“You’re very welcome, Jason Masters.” She smiled, her eyes now glistening.
“So …” He released her hand. “How did you survive swallowing the stardrop?”
“I asked Alaph about that, but I’m not sure I understand his answer. He said I didn’t survive, that I died and was brought back to life because I have some of the gifts of a Starlighter. Uriel Blackstone thinks Petra can also be resurrected. Her body has been preserved, and we’re planning to test the theory. That’s why I came down here. I hoped you’d be healthy enough to see the test.”
“Sure, but what about the other girls? Deference and Resolute? Can they be brought back to life, too?”
Elyssa shook her head sadly. “They will have to await the Creator’s great resurrection. Magnar and his friends ate their bodies.”
“Ate their bodies!” As a wave of nausea churned Jason’s stomach, he swallowed, forcing down bile. He spoke in a choked whisper. “Even Arxad?”
“No! He is not such a monster!” Elyssa covered her mouth with her fingers. “Sorry. That came out more forcefully than I intended. Alaph told me the stardrop might make me more passionate about things. Anyway, according to Alaph, Arxad never participated in the banquets. He has spoken out against them many times.”
“Spoken,” Jason muttered. “One dragon talked while other dragons crunched the bones of children.”
“That’s exactly what your father said.”
Jason sat up again, this time more slowly, and threw the sheets toward his feet. Although his trousers were still dirty, his boots and undershirt were clean except for a blood smear over the bandage. “Where is my father?”
“He’s helping Randall guard Governor Orion at the castle entrance.”
“Orion is here? How?”
“Long story, but he doesn’t know I’m here, so I’m staying out of sight for a while. You’ll see your father soon. I promise. But I’d like you to come with me for now.”
Jason pushed his legs over the side of the bed and, with Elyssa holding his arm, eased his weight to his feet. The roots sagged, but only a little. A spasm tightened the muscles in his ribcage, but they soon relaxed.
“Are you okay?” she asked, still clutching his arm. “Can you walk?”
He looked into her compassion-filled eyes. “With you at my side, I’ll be fine.”
Smiling, Elyssa let go and gave him a light punch on the arm. “Now you’re a charmer. That’s not like you.”
“I mean it. You risked your life to save mine. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
“Good! ‘Cause you’re stuck with me!” She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her cheek against his. “We’re all together again — you, me, Randall, and your father. We’re safe now.”
“I remember seeing Koren when you and I kind of crossed swords. Have you heard anything from her lately?”
Elyssa drew back. “Oh, yes. Koren.” Laughing nervously, she wiped a tear from her eye. “I guess I forgot about her.”
Jason cocked his head. Why would she forget? “So … any word?”
“Not since then, but I haven’t asked anyone. She didn’t come with us.” She turned her head toward the doorway. “I suppose Alaph would know, but after my short talk with him, he didn’t stay around. He makes himself scarce.”
“Maybe we can find him again.”
“Maybe so.” Elyssa took Jason’s hand and led him across the roots. “I have so much to tell you. Randall says there’s an open portal here in the Northlands, and they used Orion to send for troops from Mesolantrum and a few nearby regions. When they arrive, we can go to the wilderness, find Wallace and the cattle children, and bring them here. Who knows? We might even find Frederick.” “And Adrian,” Jason added.
“Right. And Adrian. This planet is filled with members of the Masters family. And that reminds me. Randall also spoke to your mother and told her you made it safely to Dracon, but he couldn’t tell her everything, because the last time he saw you, you were in the clutches of a dragon. But for now she thinks you’re safe.”
“That’s a relief. I wish we could get word to her that my father is safe, too.”
As they walked along the left side of the corridor leading to the castle’s main entrance, Elyssa slowed her pace and ran her fingers across a mural on the wall, a white dragon in flight. “It’s around here somewhere.”
Jason looked at the wall on the opposite side of the corridor. Another mural featured a black dragon, also in flight. It seemed to stare directly at him with shining blue eyes. “Is there a hidden door?”
“Something like that. Alaph said swallowing the stardrop gave me the ability to open it.”
Her fingers tapped lightly on a colorful mural, each fingertip touching in turn. The corridor’s ambien
t light, along with Elyssa’s aura, provided enough illumination to see a few feet above her head, dimming to blackness as the wall reached toward an indiscernible ceiling. As Elyssa touched the white dragon, each tap of her finger raised a tiny white spark.
A blue spark jumped from the wall near the tip of the dragon’s wing. “Here it is.” Her fingers then tapped several points around the first, each one raising a different colored spark. “It’s like a code, and it changes every time. The key is to find where the sequence starts, and then I can sense the other touch points. The servants here have no problem, because they don’t have physical bodies that veil their perceptions.”
Finally, a spark as black as coal sizzled under Elyssa’s touch. It adhered to the wall and spread across the mural, painting the white dragon in darker and darker shades. Soon, the entire dragon’s body had turned black, including a down-stroking wing that nearly reached the floor.
Elyssa lifted her foot and stepped into the wing, now a hole in the wall. “Come on. It won’t stay open long.” She walked through the hole and disappeared.
Jason followed, bracing himself on an intact portion of the wall as he stepped through. With the Exodus chamber and the healing trees, the castle had already proven itself to be a house of mysteries, but each new revelation seemed more amazing than the previous one.
Inside, a narrow corridor led deep into the recesses of the castle. About twenty feet ahead, a cylindrical capsule with a semitransparent shell stood vertically, partially obstructing the path. On Jason and Elyssa’s side of the capsule, a head-high rectangular opening allowed entry, and a similar opening on the opposite side provided an exit for anyone wanting to continue through the corridor.
Elyssa walked into the capsule and stood with her back against the side and her arms lifted above her head. “Step in here with me. There’s not much room. Deference had to take us up one at a time, but I think we can fit.”
“Up?” Jason stepped across the corridor’s marble tiles, touching the plaster walls on each side for balance. When he entered the capsule, he had to press close to Elyssa to fit. The pressure made his ribs ache horribly. Still, she smelled nice, a hint of lavender rising from her clean skin and hair.